This is the third in a series of interviews with the 2022 MLStEP board. We will be sharing new interviews with our officers and liaisons in the weeks leading up to the Music Library Association Conference in early March.
Maria Souliotis is starting her first term as the MLStEP Mountain Plains Liaison. She completed her MLS at Texas Woman’s University School of Library & Information Studies in Fall 2020 and currently works as an Instructor of Library Services at Northeastern State University.
Why did you choose librarianship as a career path? I decided to pursue a career in libraries after completing my MA in Musicology at the University of Denver. I enjoyed my scholarly pursuits in that degree program and wanted to explore different avenues into scholarship. A music librarian had told me that music librarianship was a viable career for musicologists, but that I would have to have an MLS to broaden my career prospects in libraries. After some soul searching, I enrolled in the online MLS program at Texas Woman’s University. I am now in my first professional role as an academic librarian and am happy to report that the job is a great fit for my talents and interests. I love having the opportunity to serve a wide variety of patrons on campus and in the local community.
What was your favorite part of library school? My favorite part of library school was getting to meet with other students in the virtual environment. Since the degree program was 100% online, my peers and I had to adapt in the ways we interacted with each other. I joined a TWU SLIS student group where I got to meet over Google Hangouts with other students regularly. It gave us opportunities to encourage each other in our learning and professional development and boosted morale among the student body.
What has been your best experience as a member of MLA and/or MLStEP? My best experience has been meeting so many great people online! It’s so good to see so many active members on the MLA-L listserv, in webinars, and at the conferences.
What advice would you give to a beginning library student? Know yourself. Envision the type of library you want to work in, and the type of librarian you want to become, and work towards those goals. At the same time, don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and learn new things through new experiences. Pursue professional development and networking opportunities and express gratitude to your mentors and the people who’ve helped you.
Use the button below to connect with Maria. Stay tuned for the next interview!